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2.0 Rel 10
Topic Started: Jan 13 2012, 08:21 PM (2,197 Views)
Swifty
Member Avatar
The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
accobra64
Jan 16 2012, 08:41 PM
Swifty, that is going "the extra mile".
You did an excellent job on this avacar.
That is a wonderful gesture for our new member.
"Service with a smile".
:blush: It just makes me happy to see folks using them. :)
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bunkerjim
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Station Wagon
Just in case Tom Z. should stop on by, I should give JL my support and
let them know I'll be passing on this release..

Another red 65 Shelby Coupe. What's that the 3rd red one for JL..
How about something totally different.. a nice metal base Packard Caribbean maybe??

Another 57 hearse, ambulance, station wagon.. I have the nice black hearse from rel. 4
and a couple from F64, all stocked up with hearses, at 5 bucks a pop, be passing on this one..

BTH - guess that fills somebody's collection niche, not mine. I have a couple that
I thought were neat, but that's all I need. With all the police offerings out there by
various manufacture's, JL can throw their light bars away and I'd be happy..

Derby cars - Sorry the couple I already have are plenty, don't do NASCAR either..

Not sure what would be a good suggestion, but it seems that a 4 car release just
doesn't cut it, especially when you repeat a casting like the 57 hearse..

I avoid the F64 series, been burned one to many times by QC. So I look forward
to the 2.0 rel. But for awhile now it seems the selection there just sends me to the
Matchbox section...

..

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Dragnet_Supporter
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SUV
Swifty
Jan 17 2012, 01:13 AM
accobra64
Jan 16 2012, 08:41 PM
Swifty, that is going "the extra mile".
You did an excellent job on this avacar.
That is a wonderful gesture for our new member.
"Service with a smile".
:blush: It just makes me happy to see folks using them. :)
That is a nice avacar, BTW :thumbup:

As far as themed sets for the 2.0, this was my first thoughts on the line as well. I think even if the themed set happened like every other release, giving the "Wild card" assortment their time up at bat, I still think I would end up buying more from this line on the average...even if i skipped most of the racing stuff and oddballs that just weren't personally appealing to me.

I am supposing here, but with the insertion of Tomicas that were talked about, I imagine this will give more variety to the 12 car releases. But if the thought is to work them into the 2.0--and here I am imagining they will need to be those that have a metal base, since many of the standard Tomicas I have come with a plastic base (I don't know enough about their casting to know if there are Tomicas that have been used in both standard and premium releases)--I'm just hoping we get to see more than random racing colors on them.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't want to take sides, but can I play devil's advocate for a moment?

First, the only one I've found on a peg that came home with me was a BTH Dodge Dart...more because it was a Dart than a BTH or police. Nothing against that series, I'm just not that into them. But the red pickup and I don't recall what else did even less for me, and were it not for the Xmas issues I was really after, I might have even left the Dart.

I realize cost of materials, prices gotta go up, yadda yadda...no probs. But when the price goes up, I get more picky. Went to Wally's after Xmas hoping to catch a sale, over an hour away because no local Wally's stocks even the plastic base JLs, and the prices were still at almost $4 for the plastic base versions. I grudgingly picked up two VW panels and a red 31 Caddy, and left a few behind I would have liked and would have grabbed if they were more realistically priced. JL has no control over retail prices, I understand...no probs.

Back when JL was fresh and new and under PM (Tom Lowe), we got assortments of about 6 or so models, often in 3 or 4 color variation series, and usually along some theme. When you put that much out there, something is bound to stick. But you can't hit a home run every time at bat.

I noticed after RC took over, that JL was pared down rather quickly to a minimum. Not sure why, not sure what the reasoning was, but keeping in mind that you can't hit a home run every time at bat, it sure whittled their chances for a homerun down.

Putting out a 6, or 4, car thematic series is probably a good idea in some sense, but the only reasons I can think of for RC putting such a tight leash on JL is either A) corporate jealousy, or B ) some mathematic (money) reason that for the moment escapes me. Be that as it may, that is the reality on the ground.

I think the 2.0 series was an experiment to try to give the collectors what they claimed they wanted...metal bases and decent detail. JL has been there before, and it bombed, yet consumer outcry still remained. JL is caught between a rock and a hard place...collectors say they want these things, but then they don't buy. As a producer...whatcha gonna do?

I think the tiptoe back into that segment is smart under the circumstances, it allowed JL to hold out long enough that even Mattel reached a point that their prices had to raise as well...so now the sticker shock isn't *as* bad. The catch is that JL went up even more...a lot more on a percentage basis. Wally's got JL collectors over a barrel and they know it, so they're milking it.

From JL's standpoint on the 2.0 line specifically, I think they are pursuing the best strategy to keep from overextending themselves. It's hard to get a homerun every time, but putting nice models with metal bases and seeing what happens.

BTH isn't my thing, but I'm glad they are in the mix. It is something different, new and innovative...JL has struggled with these things from right after the RC merge, so this is good. The Derby cars, the same thing...not my cuppa, but I'm glad they are in the mix, they are new, different and innovative. It's something more than yet another black with flames or super shelby DOHC mega muscle repeat (ad nauseum).

It would be nice to see some new thematic sets...but in the current economic climate with buyer's balking at the price, I don't see it happening any time soon. Heck, I've even suggested a few sets in the past, and even how they could be rotated with each other. But I'm not in any position to do anything about it any more than anyone else here.
Edited by juantoo3, Jan 17 2012, 02:02 PM.
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JeepXJLover
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Minivan
My local diecast shop gets in 3 sets of 2.0 releases on every release. Though keep in mind his customer base is a lot more limited than the big box stores. Out of all 11 releases so far and compared to whats left on his 2.0 pegs here is what sold best for him.

Anything realistic, other words street cars.
This is what he sold out of:
Rel 1
81 Malibu PIP
Rel 2
Munsters Coach
Dukes Monaco
80 Monza Spyder
Rel 3
Caprice derby wagon
64 Dodge super stock
Rel 4
57 Chevy hearse
Rel 5
BTH 87 Ford Mustang
Rel 6
69 Dick Harrell Camaro
Zinger Gremlin
Rel 7
66 VW Beetle
Rel 8
99 Ford F450 tow truck
General Lee
Red 93 Ford Lightning
Rel 9
81 Chevy Citation
Rel 10
Dodge Aspen R/T
Hurst Grand Prix
Vista Cruiser wagon
Rel 11
So far only one is gone, the BTH Monza I purchased from him

So just by his small clientel what is mainly peg warmers are BTH releases, drag cars/circle track cars. By his inventory the BTH cars are by far the flops.

The older releases he's now starting to mark down so I may pick up a few that weren't extreme wants when they first came out.

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Dragnet_Supporter
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SUV
Some really good point by juantoo3 and interesting statistics by JeepXJLover. The statistics make a good point for those 1 or 2 car favorites from a given release, and the limitation factors are very true, jt3.

I remember the very people who were crying for product from RC2 before the big relaunch became very much the "I don't want this," or "I'll pass on everything but 1 or 2 car from this release," right away. Part of that was that most people were watching their money. Part was that the limitations facing the JL line. JL didn't relaunch with the sort of quality people expected, plus all the prejudice against RC2 as a company, really got things off to a bad start.

I can't blame any company for adjusting to meet the sales, which cut things down even more. I'm not sure what people expected when they weren't buying. yet the outcry for product remains.

We, as collectors, understand more of the collector's attitude than the company does--and let's face it, it can even be confusing for us reading so many posts that seem to contradict themselves, or just yell to hear themselves yell. But having worked for some corporate owned compnies in my day, I can tell the way corporate thinking perceives this. They say they just can't figure out what the public wants, then cut back more and more according to the numbers.

By rights, JL should probably not exist even in the state that it has these recent years. And from what many say, Tom Z. has been a large factor in keeping things running, slowly but surely.

I would say that the line could try some different approaches, see if an occassional theme set sold. But no, I don't expect blood from a stone either.
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Firehawk73
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Nice comments to this thread and interesting perspectives. Any way you want to slice it, I still want the Firebird....lol
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ain't nothing guaranteed, but about the closest JL has to a guaranteed themed set is the Xmas issues. Those have been good sellers ever since the first year. But from what Tom Z. says they are considerably more expensive to produce, with the potential for a lot more line rejects because of the paint / finish. No doubt that is why they have always been a bit more expensive than even the gold series or the 2.0. Still, it was a crying shame when that series ended, and I'm thrilled to see it back this year. Hopefully sales were good enough to continue next year.

Aside from that, in talking with Tom and with Jeff Koch, its all muscle cars (especially 60's era Mustangs and Camaros), black with flames and VWs...those are the best sellers and why we *usually* see them in the mix in one form or another.

It hurts to keep banging the same drum, but the longstanding issue has always been distribution. Guys can't buy if they can't find them. Used to be I could find the $2 cars in the local grocery store, but when that batch dried up, I never saw them again...even after reading that the store chain was getting in more. I kept checking back for months, to where that manager knew why I was coming to see her every other week, and always the answer was the same...none in the warehouse. Whether that was true or not I'll never know, but I know they sold well in that store before...I helped clean them out! So *peghanging* was not an excuse not to reorder, there were none left hanging on the pegs!

It is good to see Tom Z beginning to try some new and innovative ideas. But it has to be really difficult given the short leash the brand is on. I understand they don't want to tie up profits in unsold goods, (and from the looks of it PM still has a warehouse full of older pre-RC JL cases stashed away somewhere). It's a fine line trying to find that perfect balance between anticipating the customer's wants and not overproducing. At the same time staying only with the tried and true and never innovating is just another form of slow death, letting the competition capture the attention of the customers with new and unusual product. This isn't true only in diecast, I've seen this in many retail product lines.
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Billy Kingsley
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The Mad Documenter!
What does BTH mean?

I still say they should bring back the Racing Champions line...Not only is it my favorite brand of all time, but they could do waves either devoted to one form of motorsports...or do one vehicle from each from of motorsports. The 2.0 line would then be open to all street cars, and the Racing Champions line could be used for race cars, naturally.

Could you imagine how great it would be if they did a wave of Racing Champions cars that was 1 NASCAR, one drag car, one derby car and one "other" car...either a different form of racing, or another car from one of the three "mainstays". It should be a failsafe success because that way it gives somebody who may only collect one form of motorsports something to chase. They have a tooling bank of over 150 racing tools from Racing Champions, and many of the JL Street cars can be used to make race accurate cars with some fancy tampoing. Heck, they have already used both of those options already.

I doubt it'll happen, but I can dream.
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juantoo3
Member Avatar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BTH= Beat The Heat...they are models of police officers' hot rods they use in a real program to get hod rodders to keep their racing on the track to promote safety.

Your idea isn't a bad one, Billy. There still lingers a little animousity under the surface with JL collectors that RC bought them out, which I kind of understand but can look past because I do like the RC Mint series. But *usually* the guys that collect the RC Nascar stuff don't mix well with the street car guys (like JL), and vice versa. Don't get me wrong, everybody is welcome here at Swifty's Garage, I'm merely speaking from my experience with collectors in general...that guys wrapped up in Nascar don't have time or money for street cars, and the guys wrapped up in street cars don't have time for Nascar. I'm guilty of that myself, not that I think less of Nascar, I just don't have the time or resources to devote to that angle of the hobby. I'm glad somebody does, but it's not my cuppa tea.

But that could be one idea...resurrect the Racing Champions name and use the racing castings, IHRA and NHRA castings included (from the JL bank), IROC, Formula 1, and any other forms of motorsport could be herded under that banner.

The catch I see is what if "you" decide to make a three piece set...racer, trailer and hauler (might be a pickup truck or station wagon)...do you sell it as RC or JL?

I know there are RC castings I would still like to see filter into the mix. I'm happy to hear the Duesenberg is on the way eventually, and I still think the McLaren/Coyote/Manta would make a nice guest appearance in the Forever line. And there are still some JL castings that haven't seen daylight since the merger...like the T-birds. So there are plenty of toolings available.
Edited by juantoo3, Jan 18 2012, 01:46 PM.
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onetonjoe
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*In Memory Of*
since release 3 there has been a BTH released in every set, I think thats Alittle too much. I am the guy collecting the derby cars, race cars, and some of the others that look cool to me. Most of the sets havent interested me, one cause of price, and second because alot of the releases are boring to me. the last couple have had some good cars like the grand prix, Aspen, vista cruiser, general Lee, tow truck, and derby car and Fire injun.

I think it would be cool for JL to set up a poll and give us like 8 options for a release and let the collectors vote to decide what is in that certain release.
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JeepXJLover
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Minivan
For BTH to make it into my collection its mainly about 1) subject matter 2) color and details and 3) I like real rubber tires! 90% of the BTH have lacked rubber tires and that has been the deal break for me on many of them.
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Dragnet_Supporter
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SUV
I think that you guys have hit on a very important aspect of both collecting, and the problem JL is having these days, and that’s that with the current economy, most of us have cut back to collecting one or two categories.

For me, it’s police and BWF releases, with a little bit of the derby and nicer factory paint schemes worked in. I also usually will grab the sporadic HOW when it pops up in the mix because they aren’t all that difficult to keep up with. I used to grab everything that looked good to me. Now a lot of what looks good I have to pass on because my diecast budget just won’t allow it.

I’ve said they should bring back the RC line as a different line, or branch of JL all along. Like the JL casting banks, RC also has many great castings, and I was not collecting them back when they were commercially available. So I haven’t minded that the sporadic casting pops up in the JL line.

But back to the point, how does JL manage to keep up with our various interests with such a limited amount of diecast offered--not to mention limited castings?

Suggestions?

We’ve had quite a few already. All of which must be prefaced by the fact the changes might be not so easily employed due to budgetary constraints. But since the theme sets seem to be getting the most attention in this thread, let’s look at some option for testing the waters in this area that might be the safest methods for experimenting with this idea.

The 2.0 line might be the most risky place to start since it consists of 4 cars per month, on the average. So here’s another thought. Why not try it in the F64 line where three different themed sets of 4 cars each might give collectors a bit more bang for their buck? We’re already seeing a mix of all genres, rotating and evolving, sometimes giving us a couple of cars from a more popular category. So why not try a release where we get three different popular themes, 4 cars to each theme?

The problem I see here is that this idea might be frowned on because it actually narrows the amount of variety they are able to squeeze into a 12 car release. And if it worked that certain sets sold well, would we end up always having to deal with those sets and rarely seeing a rotation of variety as we are currently experiencing in the 2.0 line?

Again, the key here may be to do this with certain releases, but if done right, I would bet that more people ordered complete sets if they felt they were getting three different releases crammed into one 12 car set at current prices. Instead of buying the one or two cars to keep up with our current economic collecting parameters, we would often be buying 4 to 8 cars per release. The mentality of appearing to get more can be an elusive thing, but when played well, people often get sucked into it.

And if the category themes worked in the F64 line, the 2.0 could become a forth set, giving collectors a possible total of 4 complete sets per month (1 out of the 4 releases being metal bases), rather than the current 2 releases.

Do you see how this could be made to seem like more, when we are really getting the same amount of cars? Plus get back to the sort of releases JL fans are more used to, and have been crying for.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's not a bad idea, other than how do you appeal to the broadest range of collectors? For example, like I said, I don't mind the BTH and Derby cars being in the mix, but I don't buy them as a rule (rules can be broken, but that just depends on where my head is at at the moment of purchase). On the other hand, I like the vintage stuff, and I begged for two years for 30s era cars before I started seeing the 31 Caddy show up, and I thanked Tom profusely, and I think they have proven to be relatively popular with collectors. Now, by the same token, the guys that buy BTH or Derby cars may not give a hoot about 30s vintage...which is fine with me, but are there enough guys out there like me who do appreciate a little change of pace and seeing some of these old 30s era cars in the mix? I think sales show that there is sufficient, but not to flood the market with them because there seems to be a saturation point.

So the problem I see with limiting the 12 car mix to 3 sets of four is that by necessity somebody gets jilted. So do we use the same three sets, jilting however many other collecting segments out there? I don't think that would be the best bang for the buck...in my opinion.

Maybe better, just thinking here, would be to slip one car of a four car set into each monthly release, and cover maybe the same three segments. Could even do the hype and hoopla and advance publicity, and the guys that want that matched segment are gonna be in the stores looking for all four releases. So maybe one segment is black with flames...a perennial favorite...so maybe do a set that requires four pieces, and they are issued one at a time in each release. So maybe have a hot rod in one release, maybe a hauler, maybe a trailer, and maybe a camper or something, and they are all thematically matched, but released one at a time. But only do no more than 3 of these at a given time, and leave the rest of the 12 car release to "random" issues to satisfy the rest of the collectors.

I've even suggested maybe tailoring releases, so that issues that have a greater following have more produced, and issues with a lesser following have fewer included in the mix, with the balance made up with "special release" thank you cars along the lines of white lightnings. So maybe you have 10K Camaros in a mix, and 7500 Bugaboos (for example), and the balance made up with, oh, maybe 63 T-birds or something. If the sales team are doing their job, and I am presuming they are, they know what sells and what doesn't, and how their buyers break down by segment. Maybe not to the exact number (and frankly we all modify our collecting habits over time), but they have to have a sense of what percentage like what types of cars, and ideally should tailor the releases to match.

With the internet and all, I wouldn't worry so much that Peoria isn't getting enough of the right segments, because Boston has more than enough, and some enterprising individuals will always step up on the secondary market to sell to Peoria (or trade for what they missed out on).

Of course, JL (or some maker somewhere) could sidestep a lot of the aggravation by simply setting up shop online...and I think that might be something for an enterprising maker to try, is selling an ultra limited elite line strictly online. Where they go after they are sold is inconsequential. I don't see JL doing this, because then they would be in competition with their customers...Wally isn't going to buy if they have to compete against the company they are buying from.
Edited by juantoo3, Jan 18 2012, 05:40 PM.
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JeepXJLover
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Minivan
Dragnet_Supporter
Jan 18 2012, 05:01 PM
I think that you guys have hit on a very important aspect of both collecting, and the problem JL is having these days, and that’s that with the current economy, most of us have cut back to collecting one or two categories.

For me, it’s police and BWF releases, with a little bit of the derby and nicer factory paint schemes worked in. I also usually will grab the sporadic HOW when it pops up in the mix because they aren’t all that difficult to keep up with. I used to grab everything that looked good to me. Now a lot of what looks good I have to pass on because my diecast budget just won’t allow it.

I’ve said they should bring back the RC line as a different line, or branch of JL all along. Like the JL casting banks, RC also has many great castings, and I was not collecting them back when they were commercially available. So I haven’t minded that the sporadic casting pops up in the JL line.

But back to the point, how does JL manage to keep up with our various interests with such a limited amount of diecast offered--not to mention limited castings?

Suggestions?

We’ve had quite a few already. All of which must be prefaced by the fact the changes might be not so easily employed due to budgetary constraints. But since the theme sets seem to be getting the most attention in this thread, let’s look at some option for testing the waters in this area that might be the safest methods for experimenting with this idea.

The 2.0 line might be the most risky place to start since it consists of 4 cars per month, on the average. So here’s another thought. Why not try it in the F64 line where three different themed sets of 4 cars each might give collectors a bit more bang for their buck? We’re already seeing a mix of all genres, rotating and evolving, sometimes giving us a couple of cars from a more popular category. So why not try a release where we get three different popular themes, 4 cars to each theme?

The problem I see here is that this idea might be frowned on because it actually narrows the amount of variety they are able to squeeze into a 12 car release. And if it worked that certain sets sold well, would we end up always having to deal with those sets and rarely seeing a rotation of variety as we are currently experiencing in the 2.0 line?

Again, the key here may be to do this with certain releases, but if done right, I would bet that more people ordered complete sets if they felt they were getting three different releases crammed into one 12 car set at current prices. Instead of buying the one or two cars to keep up with our current economic collecting parameters, we would often be buying 4 to 8 cars per release. The mentality of appearing to get more can be an elusive thing, but when played well, people often get sucked into it.

And if the category themes worked in the F64 line, the 2.0 could become a forth set, giving collectors a possible total of 4 complete sets per month (1 out of the 4 releases being metal bases), rather than the current 2 releases.

Do you see how this could be made to seem like more, when we are really getting the same amount of cars? Plus get back to the sort of releases JL fans are more used to, and have been crying for.
So to put this in simplier terms are you saying like 4 BWF, 4 emergency vehicles, 4 racing, or 4 street cars ect ect each F64 release?

If so I mean it sounds like a good idea, but I wouldn't want to see every release divided up like that. Maybe every other release though. BWF is not my cup of tea, I maybe have 4 in my collection is its solely because of subject matter not that it is BWF. Emergency vehicles I do enjoy as long as accurate and not goofy wheels. Racing I could care less about unless its demo derby or a occasional well done drag car. I mean don't get me wrong if this is the idea you had, I like it, just wouldn't want to see every F64 release like that. Variety is the spice of life. As it stands I currently buy 6 of the 12 from each F64 release.

My source for the F64 line (same source as 2.0 cars) anything that has be released in the previous releases again and again is a peg warmer on his pegs. Examples the many 50 Chevy Suburbans and a lot of Mopars. That is at a $2.99 and under price point where I buy. As I said before though his market is much more limited. I'm sure if he had more traffic there would be way less than 75-100 F64 releases clogging his pegs.
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Dragnet_Supporter
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SUV
I could certainly see the idea of sets broken up over time...a 1 of 4 divided into 4 different releases. This would give collectors something to look forward to 4 consecutive months in a row, and yes, leave room for the random variety factor. I would'nt want to see the classic cars get shelved either.

As for the idea of a company doing its own internet site, yes, this would have them competing with themselves, as well as hurting a lot of small business people (The OLDs). However, what if this were done for specialty items, as well as listing all that backlogged stock that is supposedly sitting in warehouses that retail stores won't take on.

Or if JL (or Tomica) can't see getting into the extra expense, or bothering with sales like that, how about simply making a list that could be seen by collectors, who could place the order through their favorite OLD. Yes, this would require someone take inventory. But it wouldn't necesarily require an entire team to go through it all at once. Just add to the list a little at a time and see if it sells enough to make it worth while.

This is probably as far out as any of the other ideas. But with the idea that JL is kind of a global company now (or could be) might make what once seemed rediculous an actual possibility in time.

Hows that for capping this off on a note of wishful thinking :D
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JeepXJLover
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Minivan
Dragnet_Supporter
Jan 18 2012, 06:52 PM


As for the idea of a company doing its own internet site, yes, this would have them competing with themselves, as well as hurting a lot of small business people (The OLDs). However, what if this were done for specialty items, as well as listing all that backlogged stock that is supposedly sitting in warehouses that retail stores won't take on.

Or if JL (or Tomica) can't see getting into the extra expense, or bothering with sales like that, how about simply making a list that could be seen by collectors, who could place the order through their favorite OLD. Yes, this would require someone take inventory. But it wouldn't necesarily require an entire team to go through it all at once. Just add to the list a little at a time and see if it sells enough to make it worth while.

Love this idea if there is indeed any old stock lying around, older than 2.0 and F64 anyway. I'm sure many JL collectors would love a extra chance at missing castings/versions to fill holes and custom fodder.

I really miss what I saw on the two trips I made to the RC2 outlet store prior Lightning Fest 2010. When I made those two trip winter 2007 and again winter 2008 it was all older releases on the pegs PM red cards. I was dismayed when I attended Lightning Fest 2010 to only see 40th, F64 and clamshell era on the pegs. :( I guess I'm a sucker for the days of yore.
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bunkerjim
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Station Wagon
I just wanted to jump in a say it's nice to see a civil discussion
about this without downing someone's collecting habits, I hope
my statements didn't do that.

I could never presume how JL is doing on a nation wide bases
or what castings people may prefer in different regions..

All I can say is JL's not been getting my business on this path
they've been on and it's been a long time since I considered
buying a case of cars..

I've noticed this same discussion on "another" board, and it
does not seem as productive..

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Billy Kingsley
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The Mad Documenter!
You know, as much as I love NASCAR, it really is all their fault. When RC had the NASCAR license, they were doing just fine...so well in fact that they not only had enough cash to purchase Ertl in 1999 or so, but they also were able to purchase Playing Mantis and all it entailed...only to have NASCAR pull their license when they purchased Action and Team Caliber during the 2005 season....After 2005 they pulled the license from both RC and Hot Wheels. Hot Wheels survived, because NASCAR was not their "bread and butter"- but for RC, it was. Of course, NASCAR got it wrong themselves, killing Team Caliber instantly, renaming Action "Motorsports Authentics" and running it into the ground so badly it would have gone out of buisness in mid-2010 if Lionel had not purchased it. (Thankfully, they got it right!) But in doing all that, they also took down RC/Ertl, which in turn affected JL. Although I didn't start collecting street cars again until 2008, JLs are nowhere near as common and plentifull as they once were. Before the NASCAR shenanigans. Most of the subject matter is not really what I'm into, but it never was even when Tom Lowe owned it. (I'm not really into muscle cars that much-custom jobs even less so). Not like RC isn't blameless themselves though. Instead of fighting their way through it and running with JL, they just up and quit and made baby toys. I don't even know if Learning Curve is still around (what they changed their name to eventually)

Now that NASCAR has changed the licensing rules, I wonder if the current owners of JL would ever go back to NASCAR. With way rules are set up now, they would have access to something like 35 of the 40+ full time regular teams. Including Dale Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, etc. If they did, they could probably make enough money in a year on NASCAR sales to put some of it back into RC. After all, the Spin Master cars, which came out only the week before Christmas, have already sold out in most stores...some stores have sold out more than 10 cases of cars, and they've only issued 6 different cars so far!

Like I said, though, I doubt it'll happen.

Also, thanks for the update on what BTH stands for. It's of slim to no interest to me, but I'd be more likely to pick it up over a drag car or a derby car. With street cars they pretty much have to be factory stock or darn close to it to get me to really take notice.
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69Stang
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Station Wagon
What bugs me is everyone's insistence of doing fantasy versions of the Shelby Daytona Coupe. This version seems to be based on the Exotic Auto Restoration upgrade kit of a Superformance Coupe. Is it to much to ask a manufacture to simply replicate an actual livery from any one of the real coups?

At first I though it might step on copyright issues, but Shelby Collectibles will not even do it! They keep releasing everything in blue but with the number 98.....no Shelby American Daytona EVER raced with the number 98!!!

AAAUUUGGGHHHH!

OK, I feel better...now back to our regularly scheduled program...
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Harvestman
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Captain Slow
Very cool to see that a member on here got their derby car turned into a small-scale rendition! What an honor!

Thank goodness JL has taken the step of finally turning the Cutlass into a derby car. I'm assuming the windows won't be in in the final production version, but who knows?
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craftymore
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Support your local demo derby.

HarvestmanMan
Jan 18 2012, 10:10 PM
Very cool to see that a member on here got their derby car turned into a small-scale rendition! What an honor!

Thank goodness JL has taken the step of finally turning the Cutlass into a derby car. I'm assuming the windows won't be in in the final production version, but who knows?
Looks like they painted window bars on to the glass. Nothing a few pieces of florist wire, a dremel and yellow paint can't fix. ;)
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Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
bunkerjim
Jan 18 2012, 07:38 PM
I just wanted to jump in a say it's nice to see a civil discussion
about this without downing someone's collecting habits, I hope
my statements didn't do that.
Just want to echo this, and thank all of you for being...well, all of you! We really do have a great group here. :thumbup:

And your statements didn't come off poorly at all!
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Dragnet_Supporter
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SUV
Bill, I didn't collect nascar stuff, but I know well the feelings you put behind your words. What happened to the Nascar stuff is really something that happens to almost every collectibles market at some point. And that's when a huge wave of collectibility hits that disperses as quickly as it came. I've talked to people who don't even collect diecast that ran out and grabbed multiple Nascar diecast of everything they got their hands on because they thought it was going to be worth money.

This is always a bad sign for those who collect anything because they really enjoy it. Because when the bottome drops out, and those who grabbed for investment purposes walk away disappointed, as they almost always do, the numbers take such a drastic drop that it is no longer considered worthwhile by whatever corporation is backing the product...and it goes bye-bye.

This happened with comic books back in the 90's, and it nearly killed the industry when the numbers fell. It did kill some smaller companies. If not for the popularity of the movies they began making, Marvel might not have survived.

And the backside to this sort of huge wave of collectibility is that it not only urts the collector, but it cost a lot of people their jobs as well when the other shoe drops. Thos huge spikes are great for a while, but never last. The feast is almost always followed by famine.
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Billy Kingsley
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The Mad Documenter!
Very true. Apt comparison as well. (I am a former diehard DC fan- but didn't stick with them when they relaunched continiuity this past September). I truly feel that investors are bad. For anything they put their noses into. They drive the prices up for true collectors, they keep whatever it is out of the hands of true collectors, and like you said, when they give up and leave, it hurts the true collectors and even the employees of the company.
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